1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage shelf system for hanging goods, for example, a storage system for articles of clothing hanging on clothes hangers.
2. Description of the Related Art
During production, in intermediate storage, etc., many goods are transported in a hanging position. This is also true for articles of clothing, for example, coats, jackets, suits, overalls, etc. These items are manipulated in a hanging position during manufacture, during conveyance, in intermediate storage, in final storage and in retail stores. For transporting the articles, so-called hanging conveyor installations in accordance with the power-and-free system have been found useful. An example of such an installation is shown in DE-A 25 06 587. These hanging conveyor installations can be installed on all floors and levels of the manufacturing and storage building. For the actual storage, special buffer lengths are provided in the hanging conveyor installation, wherein the buffer lengths can be coupled to the main conveyor strand by means of switches.
It is also known in the art to transport articles of clothing in bundles on trolleys which are equipped with a support rod. An example of this is shown in DE 38 07 280 C1. The support rod is fixedly mounted on the trolley and can be loaded and unloaded by means of fully automatic units.
The buffer lengths in which the trolleys loaded with the clothing bundles remain until the goods are needed, are usually located in a single plane. Consequently, they require a relatively large storage area. However, in accordance with another commercially available solution, storage in two levels is possible by providing an intermediate platform. The costs of the storage area are lowered accordingly. A stationary vertical conveyor is utilized for transporting the trolleys between the two planes.
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a storage system equipped with shelves for hanging goods, for example, a storage system for clothing, which has a very high storage capacity and simultaneously permits direct access to the goods.
In accordance with the present invention, the high storage shelf system for hanging goods of the above-described type essentially includes a hanging conveyor of the power-and-free type with trolleys traveling on rails, a storage unit, operating devices for loading and unloading the high shelf storage system, and storage rods for receiving the goods during transport and storage thereof, wherein the trolleys, the operating devices, and the high shelf storage system are equipped with supports and corresponding securing devices, such as locking pawls, locking bolts and the like, for securing the storage rods in a positively engaging manner.
The present invention makes it possible to store hanging goods, for example, clothing hanging on clothes hangers in high shelf storage systems which, as is well known, have the greatest storage capacity over a given area. In this connection, it is possible to utilize the proven components of such a high storage shelf system, i.e., the shelves themselves as well as the operating devices for the shelves. The most important structural elements are the movable storage rods on which the goods remain during the transportation on the hanging conveyor installation and on the operating device and during the storage in the high storage shelf system. Because of the positively engaging supports at the trolleys, the operating devices and the high shelf system, the storage rods can be easily moved by means of mechanical devices. The well-known and proven devices for fully automatically loading and unloading the storage rods can continue to be utilized unchanged.
In accordance with an advantageous further development of the invention, the storage rods are made of pipes having a round to oval cross-section. This type of pipe has been found very useful in practice for a long period of time.
The storage rods may also be of pipes having a polygonal cross-section. These pipes have the advantage that the hooks of hangers rest on the rods at two places, so that the hanger and the goods cannot swing about the upper axis thereof.
Stoppers mounted on the storage rods prevent the goods from sliding. In addition, the stoppers ensure that the ends of the storage rod remain free, so that the manipulating devices can act at those ends without problems.
In accordance with a preferred development of the invention, the supports are constructed as U-shaped or V-shaped prisms. This type of construction is very simple, compensates tolerances without problems and is operationally very safe.
In accordance with a particularly simple development of the invention, the high storage shelf system is composed of posts to which the supports are attached directly. Consequently, if at all, longitudinal struts and transverse struts are only required for reasons of static requirements.
In accordance with a further development, the high storage shelf system is composed of posts and transverse struts, wherein the supports are attached to the transverse struts. In this type of construction, the number of posts may possibly be reduced.
The development mentioned last is particularly advantageous if two or more supports are arranged one behind the other on a storage plane. In that case, the supports are attached to the transverse struts.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, centering devices for exactly positioning the trolleys are provided in the areas of the transfer stations at the high storage shelf system. Depending on the type of centering device, they may be driven by electric motors, pneumatic cylinders and the like.
In accordance with a preferred feature, devices for moving, positioning and/or securing the trolleys are provided in the areas of the transfer stations. Suitable for this purpose are constructions which are known in principle in the prior art and which operate with chains, toothed belts, slides and the like.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, the operating device has at least one telescopic cantilever on which is provided at least one device for holding a storage rod, as well as side shields or protective plates which prevent hooking of the hanging goods, and an integrated sensor system with switches, light barriers, initiators and the like for controlling the fine positioning of the storage rods. Such a telescopic cantilever makes it possible to reach toward the right and toward the left into the storage shelves from the operating device, even when several supports and a storage rods are arranged one behind the other in a storage plane.
In accordance with a first embodiment, the telescopic cantilever includes essentially a base plate which is fastened to the lifting carriage of the operating device, a telescopic frame underneath the base plate, a single or double telescopic pull-out at the telescopic frame, a separately moveable transfer unit mounted on the telescopic pull-out and provided with the devices for holding a storage rod, a drive motor for the telescopic pull-out and a drive motor for the transfer unit. The single telescopic pull-out is sufficient if the storage rods hang with the goods in only one row. On the other hand, if the goods hang in two or more rows one behind the other, the double telescopic pull-out is required.
The separately moveable transfer unit mounted on the telescopic pull-out makes it possible to move the storage rod with the goods hanging thereon always into the middle of the operating device where the goods have the maximum distance to the two adjacent shelves.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, a turntable is provided between the base plate and the telescopic frame, wherein the turntable is rotated by a drive motor. The turntable makes it possible to swing the telescopic cantilever and the transfer unit toward the right or left. It is even possible to receive a storage rod with goods on one side and to turn the storage rod during the travel of the operating device onto the other side, for example, in order to store the storage 8 rod and goods on the other side in an empty shelf section. This accelerates the work sequence decisively.
In order to prevent the transfer unit from damaging or throwing down the goods suspended from a storage rod when a filled storage rod is lifted out of the shelf, centering plates are fastened to the right and left of the transfer unit, wherein the centering plates are shaped or bent in such a way that they form a type of funnel. The devices for holding a storage rod are provided at the centering plates, preferably at the upper edges thereof. The centering plates converge in the downward direction and toward one another and push the goods toward the middle of the storage rod and additionally secure the goods when they are moved in and out and during the travel of the operating device.
In accordance with a second embodiment, the telescopic cantilever is composed of a flat telescopic plate which travels over the storage rods. In that case, hook-type or scissors-type gripping members are provided as supports which grasp the storage rods from above. This embodiment has the advantage that the space above the storage rods is completely free over the entire width of the rod, so that no collisions must be expected with goods which are not entirely correctly hanging on the storage rod.
Since operating devices for shelf systems start up with relatively high acceleration values and decelerate with relatively high deceleration values, the clothing bundles transported on the operating device start to swing. In order to prevent this, so that they do not collide with the shelf system or drop down, a holding and protective device is advantageously mounted on the operating device for securing the goods during the travel of the operating device.
The holding and protective device includes a shutter which can be rolled up easily and, most importantly, in a space-saving manner, as well as a sliding or swinging door which has few moving parts or a protective mesh which may also be mounted fixedly in front of the end faces of the goods. In order to increase the efficiency of the operating device, or when the goods are stored in several rows in order to be able to directly reach the goods hanging in a rear row, it is recommended to provide two or more telescopic cantilevers on the operating device.
The hanging goods may not only be articles of clothing but also, for example, screen or wire mesh boxes. Always one wire mesh box is connected to a support rod, if necessary through an intermediately arranged joint. The wire mesh boxes may be provided with a swinging door and may have storage shelves, so that they can receive goods placed on the storage shelves, wherein the wire mesh boxes are then stored in a hanging position in the high storage shelf system.
In accordance with a recommended feature, an additional telescopic cantilever is provided at the operating device for traveling underneath the wire mesh box when it is placed in the storage shelf and for preventing swinging of the wire mesh box.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.